Gov. Bob Riley, on trade mission, sees Alabama-made rugs in China

Gov. Bob Riley is getting an up-close look at Alabama-made products while on a trade mission to China this week.

The governor and First Lady Patsy Riley toured the Xiaojiao Guest House, a Shanghai hotel that uses carpets and rugs made in Saraland with yarn from Roanoke, according to a news release from Riley's office.

Robert Munisteri, director of international sales for Saraland's Masland Carpets and Rugs and a part of the delegation traveling with Riley, also toured the hotel. In addition to the Xiaojiao Guest House, Masland's carpets and rugs are in other locations in China, including the Beijing International Airport and the Dalian Convention Center.

"Alabama has truly become an international state. Today you can go all over the world and find Alabama-made products, " Riley said in the release. "But we can't sit back and wait for these export opportunities to come to us. We've got to continually pursue them, like Masland Carpets is doing. Their aggressive export strategy is creating jobs back home and boosting our state's economy."

Masland currently exports its products from Alabama to more than 40 countries worldwide. The company has been exporting its carpets and rugs to China since 1995.

Also this week, Riley is promoting ways to improve public health and food safety by linking Huntsville scientists with Chinese health agencies.

The governor and Dr. Jian Han of the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have met with leaders of public health agencies in Shanghai and Nanjing about establishing joint venture laboratories.
Dawn Kent